Responding to alumni requests for better online networking,
Kellogg will deliver the technology in January to get the
job done

By Rebecca Lindell

A
preview of the new look for the Alumni Network.

With just a few keystrokes, graduates will soon be able
to take advantage of all the Kellogg School alumni network
has to offer — from locating former classmates to finding
new job opportunities, and much more.

The new Kellogg alumni Web site (alumni.kellogg.northwestern.edu)
will put virtually all of Kellogg’s services at the
fingertips of alums. Designed exclusively for use by alumni,
the site will provide fast, easy access to Kellogg career
services, the alumni directory, reunion information, alumni
club activities and discussion groups.

The site officially launches Jan. 14.

There will even be links for alumni to request
transcripts, sign up to mentor current students and purchase
Kellogg School
gear. Alums will also be able to obtain the latest books
written by Kellogg faculty via the site.

"
We’re creating a Web portal for alums that is truly
alumni-centric,” says Catherine Grimsted, associate
dean of finance and administration and chief operating officer. "At
one glance, they will be able to find everything at Kellogg
that’s applicable to them.”

The "PowerUp!” button on the Kellogg home page
will link grads directly to the new site.

The portal was inspired by feedback received
by Kellogg School Dean Dipak C. Jain after he assumed the
school’s top
leadership position in 2001. While visiting graduates around
the world, Jain repeatedly heard that they desired better
access to the Kellogg Alumni Network — the global support
system of alumni connections, services and resources.

Jain returned home with a mission: to transform
the potentially nebulous network into an online entity
that alums could tap
into quickly, easily and from any place in the world.

More than a year of research followed. The
school surveyed Kellogg alumni and alumni clubs, advisory
groups, students
and others on how to improve the network and build that
vibrancy into the Web site.

"
We studied how people use alumni services,” says Karyn
McCoy, associate director of alumni relations. "What
was missing? What features would people use if they had access
to them? Are we doing the right things with respect to alumni?”

The findings inspired Jain to double the
size of the Kellogg School Alumni Relations staff and expand
the Kellogg Information
Systems (KIS) team by three positions. The moves reflect
Jain’s commitment to further empowering the Kellogg
alumni community.

"
We’re not just building a Web site,” observes
Kara Kane, KIS project manager and chief architect of the
Web site. "We’re using technology to facilitate
a more active alumni network.”

The changes include a new focus on alumni
clubs, which have become more numerous — and more active — over
the past several years. Alumni have launched new clubs in
Nashville, Dallas and Austin, among other cities, while established
clubs have added more events to their calendars. Some 90
clubs in all currently bring together Kellogg alumni around
the globe.

The new site will serve as a portal to all
these groups. Each club will have a directory and discussion
group that
can be accessed from the site, as well as information about
the club’s events, contacts and initiatives. Alums
also will be able to register and pay for club events online,
as well as obtain real-time news about upcoming club activities.

"
Clubs are one of the key resources for reaching out to alumni,” McCoy
says. "We’ve been working with club leaders to
find out what kind of support and leadership they need, what
sort of events to host and how best to reach alumni.”

Alums will be able to activate their accounts
at the site and receive a password instantly. Upon activation,
the site’s
full array of services will be made available. Graduates
will be able to update their profile and contact information,
manage their email with a permanent Kellogg email address,
and obtain the latest news about conferences, classmates,
events and learning opportunities.

And since the Kellogg School prides itself
on its commitment to lifelong learning, the site will also
grant alumni continuing
access to the school’s intellectual capital. Through
the site, alumni can view faculty publications and videos
of the many business leaders who speak on campus.

"
The whole redesign will reflect the fact that alumni are
an integral part of Kellogg, and that they truly can have
an impact on students, faculty and staff if we give them
the tools to do so,” McCoy says.